The Other Side of Life
by Hekdom-Landers Inc
Summary: Life seems so easy, so normal, but what happens when the lives of two girls a conspiracy freak and a normal woman just trying to get by are swept up in something that could truly be out of a fantasy novel? Trapped in war on the other side of a life they
1. Chapter 1

Author: Hekdom-Landers Inc.  
Title: The Other Side of Life  
Rating: M  
Pairings: McKay/Weir, Sheppard/Teyla, Beckett/OFC, Zelenka/OFC  
Spoilers: None, really, seeing as this is AU  
Characters: Sheppard, McKay, Zelenka, Beckett, Weir, Ford, Teyla, Murdoc  
Warning: Foul language and violence

Disclaimer: We, the authors, do not own SGA or its characters. The storyline, Avani Hekdom, Nicole Landers, Nikola and a few minor characters were created by our brains.

Summary: Life seems so easy, so normal, but what happens when the lives of two girls- a conspiracy freak and a normal woman just trying to get by- are swept up in something that could truly be out of a fantasy novel? Trapped in war on the other side of a life they never knew, they need to figure out where they stand and how to stop an evil force before it reaches it's goal.

A/N: Yes, this is AU. _Very_ AU. So AU in fact, that Atlantis is scarcely mentioned. However, pretty much all of season one's cast is in here, with nice juicy parts.

**Chapter One**

Niki rubbed at her eyes as she looked up from filing the last reports of the day before glancing over at her friend. "Day's almost over," she said with a grin, "And I for one can't wait. I mean, filing's one of the easiest jobs I know of, but it's kinda boring"

Avani grinned at her friend. "I know. Some of these spelling errors are _atrocious._ I really should have taken that teaching degree and actually _used _it rather than accept a joint job as a secretary with _you._"

She gave Avani a mock hurt look, her eyes widening and pouting ever so slightly. "What's wrong with me?" then she grinned and shrugged. "Anyway, we get paid pretty good money, more than you'd be making as a teacher."

"Yeah, ever wonder why?" Avani leaned towards her friend; since they had gotten their first paycheck and had been told that _no, _they were _not _being overpaid, she had been hinting that maybe something more was going on behind the office doors behind them.

"Not that again," Niki said, rolling her eyes. "Look, we both have the qualifications...and if they want to pay us _way_ over the rate that secretaries are normaly paid, then who are we to complain, right?" she glanced, however, at the closed doors of the inner office.

"I'm just _saying_," Avani said, leaning back as she toyed with her pen in a casual fashion, turning her face from the camera in the corner, supposedly there for their protection, "that just maybe we're missing something. How come all the files we deal with look so old, or- more often- too new to have anything to do with any month-long projects. You know how most scientists are- I find it hard to beleive that not a single paper is ripped or stained ever-so-slightly with coffee. Don't you ever question just what goes on here? Because I sure as hell don't believe that bullshit they fed us about going over old government projects."

"Well," Niki said softly, "Do you really want to question their motives? I mean...if something illegal were going on...if we don't know about it, we can't get in trouble with either the law or with them..."

"And how do we know they aren't the CIA? Do we really know what we've gotten ourselves into? Look at the security, for Christ's sake, Nik!" She hissed, motioning to the camera and the door that had two guards outside, "What's all that for? Our protection or whatever is through those doors?"

"They are getting very suspicious." Teyla commented to her partner as they watched and listened to the two women talk, "Our Grecian secretary won't be buying this for much longer, no matter how flexible."

"Yes," Liz said, sounding disappointed, "I guess I should have realized that them being smart would mean they'd eventually start wondering." She sighed.

Niki rolled her eyes and gave a short little nervous laugh. "Well, you know...that's just crazy."

"Is it?" Avani asked, reaching into her bag and yanking out a folder, waving it at Niki, "I have searched the Internet; you know how I am about conspiracy theories and the like. And in every classic case it has symptoms like this! Pointless security for some small operation, the ignorant workers who don't know what's going on till it's too late... mark my words, one of these days we're going to find out what's going on and I don't mean they'll be telling us."

Niki glanced surreptitiously at the camera and then back at her friend. "Avani, what happens to those people who look into these cases?"

"Oh you know, the usual. Either they come in contact with whatever the project deals with and have some freaky experience or die from it, or their employer finds out and there're all sorts of... repercussions..." She slowly stopped talking and looked over at the camera. "Oh. Oops. You don't think they heard all that, do you?"

Teyla grinned at the monitor. "She really does speak too freely about things sometimes."

Liz raised an eyebrow. "We'll give them a couple of days, and if they're still...curious...we'll give them the boot," she sighed again, "And start looking for someone new."

"What do you think the camera's are for, chopped liver?" She shook her head and rolled her eyes again. "Anyway, I think you've been reading _entirely_ too many of those things." Her voice shook as she spoke though, her own mind wondering the same thing. How _had_ two people with degrees in entirely separate fields gotten secretarial jobs?

"I think that maybe now-" she was watching the camera suspiciously from the corner of her eye, "- is not the time for this any longer. We have... files to get done before we leave. I really wish we had editing work to do... I didn't get an English degree for nothing ya know." She grumbled to herself.

"Yeah well, I'm not exactly using my art degree," she smiled and sat back down at the desk, "So lets get finished up here okay?"

"I'm done," she replied, slipping the last of the files away; yeah, that was another thing. How did they have so many files on such a "small" project. She'd bring it up later. "So, Chinese tonight?" she suggested to Niki; they always ate dinner together.

"Chinese sounds good to me...but not that place on Fourth...it's way too greasy for my stomach," she responded before standing up and stretching.

"Oh, of course! I was thinking more like grabbing an order of General Tso's chicken from Chang's and whatever you'll be getting tonight," she replied, packing up her bag and making a note in the planner on the desk as to the precise time of her signing out and how much she had gotten done that day.

"Sweet and Sour Chicken of course," Niki said cheerfully, grabbing her purse--which was actually one of those mini backpacks--and walking to the door, "and of course their famous Lo Mein."

"Of course." She rolled her eyes. "I'm so getting white rice. Do you know how bad the other kinds are? I shudder to think I used to eat that. The chicken is bad enough."

"Ah fudge, give me a moment," Avani said as she accidentally dropped her open bag and had to collect things off the floor, "Did you sign your planner out? Or at least make a note of it?"

Niki sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, we've only been doing this for...oh never mind." She bent to help her pick her things up.

XXX-XXX

John walked up to the nondescript building with peeling paint that had no signs except for a building and street number painted on the door in big white block letters. "Think they'll have the info we're looking for McKay? Or is this yet _another_ of your dead ends?"

"Hey, that last one wasn't my fault and _yes_, I'm sure this is a safe bet. Stop your whining, Sheppard, and let's go." Rodney replied snarkily, walking up the steps and yanking the door open, heading for the elevator near the back

John followed him in, rolling his eyes. "Not your fault? If you hadn't been thinking with your nether region instead of your head, you would have realized that Samantha Carter was married to O'Neill...and that they had nothing to do with monsters...except for her fantasy novel that she wrote."

"Hey," he said as he turned to press the button in the elevator, "I was _not_ thinking with the wrong head, thank you. I thought that was an honest lead and how was I to know she was married to an Air Force general? That was not my fault at all. Her book actually hit the truth one time too many for my tastes. This one will pull through, I promise."

He grumbled a little more before sighing and running a hand through his already messy hair. "Fine, fine." He slumped back against the elevator wall and closed his eyes.

Rodney watched the doors close and the floors rise without another word, although he did start on his annoying habit of tapping the crossbow hidden under his coat. As the doors dinged open, he strode purposefully down the hall towards the soldiers.

John lazily followed his partner and then smiled at the soldiers standing guard. "Hey there! I'm John Sheppard and this is my friend Rodney McKay...we're here to speak with Weir or Emmagan"

Rodney didn't even bother waiting for the guards to answer, just barged right on by and waltzing into the room where the two secretaries froze, Avani halfway back into her seat. She blinked and then put her things away. "Are you Weir and Emmagan?"

Avani gave Niki a quick glance. "No sir, we're just their secretaries," she calmly resumed her seat, "Do you have an appointment?"

"We don't need one. What we need is to speak with them. Now," Rodney said, walking over and leaning on her desk.

John rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, real smooth mister "Ladies Man",' he muttered under his breath and then smiled brightly at the two women.

Niki frowned slightly, her mind still on what Avani had been talking about before. "I'm sorry, but without an appoint..."

"Why don't you gentlemen come back with me?" Liz asked congenially as she stepped out of the office. She had seen them on the camera and instantly pegged them as what the supernatural community called 'slayers'.

Avani shot Liz a keen, searching look, but then just nodded and pulled a pen seemingly out of thin air and jotted the meeting down in her planner as a note; she was very precise about those things. "Name please," she said absently while writing.

"McKay," he said shortly, already sizing Liz up.

"Hmm…" Avani commented shortly, earning a glare from Rodney as she closed the book and put both that and the pen into her bag, picking up her coat as she stood. "We're taking off for the day, Miss Weir. Is there anything you need?"

Keeping her gaze on the one who called himself McKay, she shook her head. "No thank you Ms Hekdom, I'll see you both tomorrow."

Niki rose and began walking quickly towards the door, intent on getting out of there, her imagination coming up with all sorts of things.

"Yes, ma'am." She walked to Niki, giving Sheppard a once over as well. Still, her boss could take care of herself. "So, Niki," She said cheerfully as they stepped into the hall, "What movies are we getting tonight? I need something action/adventure. Van Helsing?"

John glanced back at the two, his eyebrows going up. Had that been some kind of a crack?

Niki wrinkled her nose. "I'd rather watch X-Men 2, if it's Hugh Jackman you're wanting to see."

"What can I say?" She grinned and growled slightly. "I like werewolves." She looked back into the room and smiled politely. "Gentlemen, Miss Weir." As she closed the door their discussion could be heard continuing. "I still don't know how you aren't attracted to that..."

Rodney stared after them, frowning. They spoke like they knew nothing of the supernatural really existed.

Liz noted from the corner of her eye that the two had left and gave a little sigh of relief. "Now," she said, her tone business like, "What can I do for you?"

"Your secretaries act like they don't know anything of what's going on," Rodney said, still watching the door with narrowed eyes, "Have you told them _anything,_ Miss Weir?"

"They don't need to know," Teyla said, stepping into the room, "And this is a conversation to be had in private."

"Oh?" John asked, "And why is that? We don't hide who we are Miss...Emmagan?"

"It's _Doctor_ to you, thank you very much," Liz said shortly.

She inclined her head. "You know my name but I seem to be forgetting yours, Mr...?"

"Fine. _Doctor," _Rodney said in that sarcastic _tone _he got.

Liz nodded tightly and then turned back to the door walking through, calling over her shoulder, "We'll continue this discussion inside."

John put on his most charming grin and held out his hand, "I'm Sheppard, John Sheppard."

She smiled politely back and gripped his hand in an amiable way. "A pleasure I'm sure. Now, "Teyla said, dropping his hand and heading after Liz, "What have you two gentlemen come to us for?"

"Information," Rodney said shortly, following the two.

XXX-XXX

"So?" Avani asked, looking at Niki as they took the elevator down, "What do you think of them?"

"Think of who?" Niki asked absently, "Werewolves? They're okay I guess."

"No, moron!" She chastised, "Those guys! Do they look like "scientists" to you? I mean, I can buy some of the things but I will _never _buy that "McKay" is a scientist."

Niki rolled her eyes. "Obviously you've never seen my father," she muttered, "Fine, I'll bite. What do _you_ think they are?"

She grinned, bouncing slightly. "I don't know. But my mind _bursts _with possibilities. Whatever they are, it has to do with what's behind those doors we aren't allowed to see, let alone _go _through. I'm going online when I get home to see if I can find something out about their type."

Niki groaned and put her head in her hands. "I knew I shouldn't have asked," she muttered.

XXX-XXX

Wind blew bits of trash across the empty front of an abandoned office building in an area of town that few but the worst sort ventured into. Viktor gazed up at it, the collar of his trench coat pulled up to shield his face from the wind. This was where they were supposed to meet?

"Don't give tha' look, Ah think we're more likely nah t' be caught here than in a crowded section," he said, having snuck up on Vik, almost as good in subtlety as his vampire partner.

Viktor hissed slightly and turned towards the werewolf "_Don't_ sneak up on me like that." and then he looked back at the building. "You think so? I think this is one of the first places they'll look...if they are looking."

"Of course they are," he said back just as softly, looking around, "They won't give up till th' last of us is dead. So th' sooner we end this, th' better. Ya have th' meetin' set with our informant?"

"I do," he confirmed, "and if we do not get a move on, we'll be late and we will have missed our chance." As usual, he spoke flawless English with an accent, and often mixed contractions with more formal speech. "And if we miss this chance..." he left his sentence hanging and walked up to the building, checking out the door. Sure enough, it was left just as the informant had said it was.

He followed his friend, hands carefully stuffed into his pockets. Werewolves had mastered transformation whenever they wanted ages ago, and still kept their powers in their human forms of course, but he could feel in his bones the coming of a fullmoon when transformation for new wolves such as himself was manditory. "Full moon in a few nights."

"I'm immune," Viktor murmured absently as he pulled the door open and stepped inside.

"If Ah bitecha, you die. Ya know tha' as well as Ah do," he said in a pointed tone, "Werewolf an' vampire do nah mix blood well."

He shrugged lightly and began walking slowly towards their destination...a small room on the first floor, keeping his senses open. "Better to die by the hand of someone I trust than another way. Besides, I have been around for a very..." he paused and listened, having heard something...the sound of heavy breathing. "…long time." His voice lowered to a whisper.

He stepped towards the room, feet not making a sound and slowly pushed the door open. A man, pale and shaking stared at him nervously and then turned away to look out the dirty window.

"Y..you're l...late" he stuttered "I...I...didn't..t..think...ah! "

Viktor had crossed the room and had him by the lapels before he could finish. "Tell me what I wish to know you sniveling fool, for I do not want my time wasted," he hissed dangerously.

"Easy there, we do nah want t'kill him before we get our information," Carson said soothingly, resting a hand on his friend's shoulder, "Ah would speak quickly." He suggested to the frightened informant.

"I...what you're looking for is in the red desert...that's all I know...I swear..."

Carson gave him a sharp look. "The Red Desert? Is this some kind o' joke?"

"N...no...no joke..."

He growled low in his throat, eyes glowing in the dim light. "I told you, I have no time for fools..."

The man's voice rose to a sharp whine, "The Red Desert...that's what I heard...now do I get paid?"

Viktor relaxed suddenly and stepped backwards, releasing the man as he did so. Then he reached up and straightened the color, brushing away imaginary specks of dust, speaking as he did so.

"Oh yes, you shall have your reward. The greatest reward of them all." As soon as he had finished straightening the man's clothes, his hand shot up with the speed of a striking cobra, easily breaking the man's neck.

"Death."

He watched the man fall to the ground with blank eyes and then turned around, walking out.

Carson sighed in disgust and trailed after his friend. "Oh come on, Vik, do ya have t' kill em every time? We leave a trail of corpses behind us and someone is bound t' notice!"

Viktor ignored his friend and continued walking on.

"Vik! Wait up!" He called, growling under his breath in annoyance and putting on a burst of unnatural speed to catch up.

"We need to find out what he meant by 'Red Desert'," Viktor said, not slowing his stride at all.

(tbc…)


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"You know, if Ah didnah know better Ah would think you _wanted _t' get yourself killed!" Carson exclaimed in exasperation.

Viktor raised an eyebrow and glanced over at his friend. "Why do you say that?"

"Leavin' a trail a mile wide and stomping about going…" He pulled his coat up into the air with his hands to make it look like a take from a bad Dracula movie. ""Ar! Ah'm a vampire!" Bloody ridiculous!"

"Dead bodies have been found before, I left no marks that could identify that a vampire had done the killing."

Carson rolled his eyes. "Nevermind. Ah do nah know why Ah bother. Where t' next?"

"To the motel for now," he said, looking back towards the way he was going, "to see if there is any mention of a red desert in those books we found."

Carson sighed and followed his friend and partner. "You're the elder."

"That has nothing to do with it," Viktor said softly continuing on to the rather nice looking motel they had booked into.

XXX-XXX

Avani just laughed and hugged her friend. "Let's go get that Chinese food and those movies. I'm starving. Are we calling Aiden over to watch with us?"

"Sure I don't see why not," Niki answered with a shrug, "You two can discuss your conspiracy theories all night long."

"Hey! Half of those are true!" Avani protested, holding her purse tightly, "How do we know that vampires and werewolves don't run about trying to avoid slayers? I happen to think that Samantha Carter's books have a ring of truth to them, thank you. And Aiden agrees with me."

Niki shook her head and laughed. "Fine! I give up. You're right, as usual."

"Oh, naturally." Avani grinned as she stepped out into the lobby, heading for the front doors. "Let's get out of here."

"Yes let's. My feet are killing me." Niki wriggled her toes in the tight black shoes.

Avani pulled out her cell phone and voice-dialed for Aiden. "Answering machine," she said to Niki, then looked at the sky as she waiting for the message to end, which was noted by her beginning to speak, "Aiiiiiideeeeeeeen! Oh Aiiiideeeen! This is your favorite fellow conspiracy theory geek here, pick up! Pick up, pick up, pick uuuuuup! Please? Don't make me cry. You know you can't handle that."

Niki rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

In his apartment, Aiden was currently snoozing in front of the computer. He had been up all night role-playing with his Star Trek group, and then had had to do some work, before he had finally collapsed. The sound of Avani's voice however, woke him up. "Huh? Avani? You don't have to yell I'm...Oh...the phone..." he picked up the receiver, "Hey..."

"AIDEN!" Avani squealed, then lowered her voice, "Sorry, hi! So, what're you doing tonight that you can drop to come and have Chinese with Niki and I at my apartment while we watch X-men 2? And Van Helsing," She added quickly, shooting Niki a grin."

Niki rolled her eyes again.

"Sleeping?" he responded, then grinned, even though she couldn't see it, "I'd love to join you ladies."

"Beautiful!" Avani replied to Aiden, "See you at Niki's in half an hour then?"

"Sounds great, see ya then. Oh yeah, and tell Niki that I love her, see what her reaction is for me, okay?"

"Sure, babe." Avani replied with a grin, and then looked over at Niki. "Aiden says he loves you."

Niki blinked and then rolled her eyes. "Tell him, no, he cannot have my mint condition, never been opened Captain Kirk figurine."

Avani grinned as she walked and opened the door to the Chinese restaurant. "She says no, you cannot have her mint condition Kirk figure. Are you _still _trying to get that from her? I keep telling you, I can just steal it while she sleeps..."

"Do it, and I burn all your files while _you_ sleep," Niki retorted immediately, grinning slightly.

"Hey! It took me a while to get those! Aiden, I have to go, we're getting food. You want your usual?"

Aiden laughed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah my usual's fine. Talk to you in thirty." He hung up, still laughing.

Avani put her phone away, grinning, then turned back to the girl waiting at the counter. "Okay, here's what we'll have..."

XXX-XXX

Liz gritted her teeth. She wasn't sure why she had reacted the way she had, except that even in this day and age women with intelligence were still looked down upon. However, she hadn't taken classes in psychology and communication for nothing, and resolved to be friendlier to the ragged looking man.

"Receiving, exchanging, or giving?" Teyla asked, as if this was common, opening the door to another room and motioning them to proceed ahead of her.

"Exchanging, preferably. We're looking for a particular set of partners at the moment."

"A werewolf and a vampire, if you can believe that," John said, walking into the room.

Liz raised an eyebrow, keeping an otherwise calm exterior. However, inwardly her heart was pounding. They couldn't be talking about _them_ could they?

"That depends who you're looking for. Even we have trouble getting information sometimes," Teyla replied, dropping into a chair behind one of the two desks in the room.

Liz sat on the corner of Teyla's desk and crossed her arms, but kept silent, watching the two.

"We don't know the werewolf's name," Sheppard said, "but the vampire had the name Zelenka..."

Teyla shot Liz a look. "Oh. Them. I should have seen that coming."

"What do you mean "Oh them"?" Rodney asked.

"Let's just say they're… a tad elusive. The werewolf is a recent turn- within the last few years." Teyla opened a drawer and pulled out a file, opening it to look in. "A Scotsman by the name of Carson Beckett. He was a doctor before he was turned, then he just vanished."

"And Zelenka..." Liz shook her head; "He's been sighted in nearly every country in the world since the fifteenth century--when he was purported to have been born." She shrugged. "We've followed up every lead we've come across and they've always seemed to stay one step ahead."

Rodney nodded, accepting the folder Teyla passed to him and looking over the information.

"I will assume that you need this information in order to catch and slay them?"

"Well, yeah," John retorted, "What else would you do with monsters like that? There's no cure and no redemption."

Teyla studied him. "Some say that not all vampires are heartless and werewolves likewise able of being docile."

"Yeah right, and most of them are conspiracy junkies and people who live in their parents basements with romantic ideals that would never apply in the real world," Rodney said, quickly shooting down that theory.

John, in the meantime snorted and shook his head. "As much as I hate agreeing with my partner on things like this, he's right. The only good vampire is a dead one. As cliché as that may sound."

Teyla glanced at Weir and took the folder back from Rodney, storing it away. "What makes you come to us now as opposed to before?"

John shrugged. "Mister genius over here's led us on a merry goose chase of dead lead after dead lead. You ladies were are last hope."

Liz returned Teyla's glance and then smiled slightly. "That's certainly a way of getting our interest."

Rodney glared at John. "Look, I _told _you..."

"All right!" Teyla interrupted, "We're intrigued. They're in town."

Rodney perked up at that. "What?"

"The ones you're hunting. We've heard tell they're here in town; set up a meeting with a well-known informant of the occult. Sneaky, conniving little thing. It was to take place today, so I'm guessing they're already here."

"Where at?" John asked, sitting up straight, eyes gleaming, "Do you know the location?"

"Not yet, and even when we do, they'll probably already be long gone by the time anyone gets there to check it out." Liz sighed and tapped her fingers on the desk. "It's always that way with them...they show up somewhere, we get a lead...and then they vanish with a couple of dead bodies as the only evidence they've even been around."

"We'll take care of it," Rodney said confidently, shifting as if preparing to leave, "Thank you for your help."

"What? That's it?" Teyla asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes, that's it, what more do you want?" Rodney asked, sounding annoyed.

"Well, I don't know, maybe a "we'll fill you in later" or how about a "We'd love to work with you on this case more often since it seems like they may stick around"."

"Yes, I thought this was going to be an _exchange_ of information," Liz said archly.

"Well, from what you've said, we don't have much time to waste on trivial matters. Of course, once we've got our monsters, then we'll give you whatever you need."

Rodney shot John an irritated look, but Teyla smiled thankfully at him.

"Of course. Then we'll be seeing you soon?"

"No." Rodney said acerbically.

John returned Rodney's irritated look. "Just ignore my partner here, he hasn't had his coffee today."

"You're the one who said we couldn't stop at Starbucks." He retorted angrily. "So maybe we should go now, get coffee, and finish this job?"

"Fine," John said, waving his hand impatiently, "Let's get going. Nice meeting you ladies, and we'll be seeing you." He rose to his feet and began walking out."

"Good luck," Teyla said, standing and waiting for them to leave.

Rodney nodded to the two, then stalked after John. They had work to do.

Liz watched them leave and then sat down at her own desk, blowing air out through her lips. "I hate slayers," she muttered.

XXX-XXX

"Movie, movie." Avani chanted, leaping over the back of the couch and plopping down next to Niki, grabbing the remote and her food as she did so. "And Chinese! What better combination is there?"

"Oh I dunno, maybe popcorn?" Aiden said as he sat down on the other side of Niki with his own food in his lap.

Niki wrinkled her nose. "I like popcorn, but not in the theater...because I always get thirsty, and then I have to go pee..." She blinked. "Sorry, did I say that out loud?"

Avani laughed and grabbed her fork. "Aiden, turn off that light please?" She hit play and set it down, settling back. "You know the best part of this movie is when the students have to leave the mansion and you get to see their powers."

Aiden reached over and turned off the lamp before settling back to watching the movie. "My favorite part is the woman Wolverine."

"I like all parts Hugh Jackman," Niki asserted before putting her finger to her lips, "Now hush, so I can watch."

"Rowr," Avani replied with a grin, then stuck chicken in her mouth to silence herself as Wolverine walked in the snow after the wolf on screen.

Niki sucked in her breath as she watched the movie. She'd seen it only once in the Theater, but had wanted to see it again.

Before long, Avani had begun throwing pieces of paper from her straw wrapped at Aiden from across the room, over Niki's head. She always hit him, whether it was where she had aimed or not.

"Okay, that's it," Aiden called out, "this means war!" He took his own straw, pieced up some paper, put it in his mouth then put it in the end of his straw, then blew. It hit Niki on the cheek and stuck there. "Heheh oops..."

Niki growled low in her throat. "You two are sooo immature," she said, then proceeded to slide down so she was sitting on the floor.

Avani grinned, then grimaced at Aiden. "That's sick."

"What? They stick better if they're wet."

Niki groaned. "Why? Why do I even _try_ to watch a movie with you two around?"

XXX-XXX

Viktor stood at the window, one finger spreading a section of the blinds so that he could see out. He was feeling a little dizzy, but could wait a little longer before he _had_ to eat. An hour or so maybe. Shaking his head he stopped staring out the window and returned his attention to the room. So far he had found nothing in the books he'd been perusing about any deserts, red or otherwise. "How is your research coming," he asked Carson.

"Nah so good. "Red desert" was used once t' refer t' Mars, but Ah don't think th' worm ya killed earlier meant we needed t' hop th' next rocket out of here t' find it," he said, looking up and studying his friend's face. "Ya look peckish. Ah keep tellin' ya I'll go buy pigs blood so you'll stop killin' th' mortals..."

"It's not the same," Viktor said softly, "I would need ten times as much to keep me...satisfied...and I would have to eat more often."

Carson sighed, but nodded. "Right. Sorry. So tell me again why it can't be like that show, "Angel"? Then again, tha' would make ya without a soul so... maybe it's better this way."

"Because it is fictional?" Viktor asked, with raised eyebrow. Then he smiled slightly.

Carson smiled back, looking back at his book. "If ya need t' go get a drink, Ah do nah mind sittin' by myself for a time."

He stared at him for a minute and then shrugged. "All right. I'll return shortly."

"Careful for slayers. We don't know this town well enough to be safe and any face could be a bad one."

"I am always careful," Viktor remarked, before giving another small smile, "but I take your warning well." He walked towards the door, pulling his collar up as he went and stepped outside.

XXX-XXX

Rodney watched the motel from the shadow of the parking lot with narrowed eyes. They had to be in there still; the innkeeper had told them so.

John, in the room next to the one the two had supposedly booked, fidgeted with the earpiece to the radio. Damn thing had never been the same after that last werewolf had nearly taken his head off...thank god it had missed totally. "Any signs of activity yet?" he asked his partner, "Because I can't hear a damn thing in there."

"No. Nothing. Wait..." He said softly, noting a subtle shift behind the blinds, "I think someone's moving..."

"Gotcha," John murmured. "I heard the door open...did they both come out or just one?"

"Just one. The vampire maybe, for a little late night snack." Rodney sounded disgusted; his parents had been killed by a vampire, which was why he had become a slayer in the first place.

"Damn," he muttered, "I don't want to split up...look, let him go, and we'll concentrate on the other." He was disgusted himself, but kept his feelings to himself. Slaying was in his blood If they're split up it'll be easier to take them.

Viktor continued walking down the path, every sense at the alert. He had suddenly sensed danger, but couldn't tell where it was coming from...or if it was just his imagination. Still, his gut instinct hadn't failed him before. He paused and raised his hand as though checking a non-existant watch, then turned back around walked casually back to the motel, as though he had forgotten something and was just going back to get it. "I suggest we get out of here now," he said quietly, "I don't like the feel of this place now."

Carson flipped through the book, then paused and sniffed the air. Human was there, as usual, but it was tinted with... something else... "Ah smell Slayer," he said in a low growl, feeling his hands wanting to change as he stood.

"Damn," Viktor muttered, brow creasing in a frown, "They've not been this close in a while. Let's go." He strode back over to the door. "In the open, we're not as easy a target."

"Do nah provoke Fate," Carson counseled, gathering what books he might need and sticking them into the large pockets of his coat, "Ah'm ready."

"Then let's go." He opened the door and sprinted outside, keeping to the shadows as best as he could.

Rodney watched the room closely. "Why do you think he went back?"

"Forgot his napkin?" John asked, "Who knows...look let's get in there now while we've still got the chance." He made as if to move towards the door."

"Wait!" Rodney hissed, "They're moving again."

"Damn it, McKay!" John hissed back, "we might not get another chance at this! You do know how much they're worth, right? As much as slaying the damn things are _so_ much fun, we're doing this to pay the rent too."

"No shit, Sherlock," Rodney hissed back, then watched the blur move, "Shit. Let's go!" He exclaimed, quickly moving along the shadows after the blur himself.

Carson moved along behind Viktor a bit more slowly, sniffing the air for the scent periodically. "Following," he said softly.

"Fuck!" John muttered and ran out of the room to follow as well.

Viktor changed his course abruptly, angling towards a more populated area.

Rodney was running at full-tilt, still having trouble keeping the immortals in sight. He didn't have generations of Slayer blood in him like John, but he had something to have actually been accepted as one. "Looks like they're heading for the center of the city! They want to lose us in the late night crowds!"

John took out a small crossbow and fitted it with a silver tipped arrow as he ran, then raised it and fired, cursing when it missed its target and embedded in a tree instead. He quickly fit another arrow and fired again, this one hitting one of them in the arm...and then he tripped over a rock of all things. "Crap! Mckay, get them!"

Viktor hissed as pain lanced up his arm, but he kept running, dodging between people as the crowd began to grow.

Carson- also sucebtible to silver as one of a werewolves' few weaknesses- hurried so he was right behind his friend. "There's a safe house near-by. Take the next right-hand alley and head to the roof."

Viktor nodded and broke off to the right before climbing quickly up the fire escape. Not for the first time he wished the myth of vampires being able to turn into bats wasn't just that...a myth.

Rodney fairly flew after them, pulling out a pistol with 6 rounds of silver bullets. If he could just get them in range...He cursed and raised the gun; this would have to do. He fired off three rounds, missing as Carson began climbing the wall beside the fire escape as easily as if it were the ladder Viktor was using. "Fuck!" He stopped and aimed, firing again.

Hearing the shots coming, he quickly manuevered away from them and leapt over the roof's edge. "Come on, Vik!"

Viktor was breathing hard as his arm began going numb, but he made it to the top and pulled himself over just as one of the bullets hit the edge, bouncing off. "Damn! They're good." He couldn't keep the tone of admiration from his voice.

John limped over to his partner, crossbow loaded and looked up. "Don't waste your ammo...let's go after them..." He walked over to the fire escape and pulled himself up to the first landing and then sat down. "Crap, on second thought we just screwed up."

"How so?" Rodney asked as he panted for breath, still on the ground- he wasn't climbing any more than he had to.

"Because they're getting away," John growled.

Rodney sighed and looked up, then began climbing. "Maybe we can get a grasp on where they're heading so we at least have a clue."

"And maybe we'll get lucky and they'll remain in town for a while after this," John muttered, then began climbing again, "I can't believe...we had them...and then...argh!"

"Right; think positive. I'm the optomistic cynic, you're just the optomist," he panted out as he reached the roof, then looked all around as he moved further on. "There," he said, pointing at the distant figures.

"Oookay." John let out a long breath. "Can you get a make on them? I'm afraid I don't have enough range."

"Sure." He squinted, "Somewhere down by East Street about and- there they go," he said as Carson fell out of sight, "Now we have a general area to look in."

"Great!" he said, "let's go after them." He began climbing back down the ladder, and practically fell off. "Fuck, I trip over one stupid rock and can't do anything else right!"

Rodney sighed and reached down to pull John back up. "My guess is you sprained something. Let's leave them for tonight; I don't think they got what they came here for, which means we'll have another chance to get them. For now my main concern is my partner. Let's get you home."

He sighed, then acquiesced. "All right, let's go," he limped beside him. "I just hope you're right."

"Who? Me? Never better. Let's go." He said as he led John to the door of the roof so they could take the stairs down

"Come on," Carson said, "It's this way." And he took off over the roofs with agility aided by the nearing of the full moon.

Viktor followed at a slightly slower pace, his wound and having gone without blood for nearly a week beginning to take its toll.

Carson slid to a stop, looking back at Vik, then headed back to his friend. "Ah'll get us there faster if you'll allow."

He nodded. "Yes...they'll probably be following."

Carson scooped up his light friend with ease and began making his way across the rooftops. "Honestly Vik, you need t' gain some weight. Ya feel like ya're dead!" he teased.

"Very amusing," he muttered faintly.

Carson chuckled in that rumbling way of his. "Just a little further and ya can rest at ease as we remove tha' arrow from your arm."

Carson carefully entered the dark room, a few electric lights no where near UV intensity being the lighting along with some candles in holders along the wall, causing conversation to basically stop with the new arrival. "Ah need a room where Ah can tend t' my partner."

The bartender put the glass down and walked out from behind the bar. "This way." Conversation stayed stilled while the two were in the room- respect for their injured brother- "Let me know if you need anything." Then began as the bartender let them in the back room and closed the door behind him.

(tbc…)


End file.
